AS THE barangay election season ramps up, approximately 12,000 uniformed personnel will be dispatched in Central Visayas to ensure safety and security particularly on the upcoming voting day.
Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office Central Visayas (PRO 7), said the uniformed personnel will come from various agencies, including the police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and Philippine Coast Guard.
He said the coast guard and military forces will focus on remote areas.
Pelare said they aim to create a secure environment during the electoral process so that citizens can exercise their democratic right to vote without fear or intimidation.
“We’re able to design a security coverage towards making sure that our election is safe, secure and fair. Of course, we would like people to vote,” he said during the Kapihan sa PIA on Wednesday, October 18, 2023.
As Election Day approaches on October 30, he said the public will see uniformed personnel across the region maintaining law and order diligently.
Pelare said their presence hopes to reassure voters and deter any attempt to disrupt the voting process.
Police and military will begin intensified visibility on Wednesday, October 25 until November 5, to also cover the All Saints’ Day (November 1) and All Souls’ Day (November 2) holidays.
Although Negros Oriental was declared under Comelec control, Pelare assured residents there that their safety on election day won’t be a problem.
Under Comelec Resolution 10757, Comelec control is imposed when the area’s peace and order situation could impact the elections. Such areas should have a history of intense political rivalries, previous Comelec control declarations, or politically motivated violent incidents involving candidates and their supporters.
“Of course, you cannot ignore the March 4 incident, and we are taking that into consideration,” said Pelare.
On March 4, 2023, Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo and nine others were killed, while several others were injured in an attack by armed men at the governor’s home in the town of Pamplona.